PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT ? CORE A The Clinical Research Center is supported by Core A (Administration). Core A provides and supports an administrative structure to integrate all scientific activities of the Clinical Research Center, with the goal of ensuring that the Center achieves its overall objectives (Aim A.1). Toward this goal, Core A organizes and manages Center activities and event planning, and maintains calendars of events of investigator meetings, research seminars, and guest lectures, including preparation of itineraries and agendas for local and visiting scientists. In addition, Core A coordinates the dissemination of research findings from the Center, including open access of publications and other research products to the scientific and lay communities. Core A provides administrative, clerical, and fiscal support to the Co-Program Directors and Principal Investigators of Projects 1-4 and the Human Subjects Core (Core B) of the Clinical Research Center, so leaders of the Center can focus primarily on academic and scientific objectives (Aim A.2). Toward this goal, Core A provides assistance with monitoring of awards and expenditures with regular financial reporting, purchasing, record keeping, travel logistics and reimbursements, and day-to-day administration, including equipment and facilities records. In addition, Core A maintains the Center's connection and serves as the point of contact to key University, College of Medicine, and Departmental entities, such as research administration and grants accounting, human resources, physical plant, and information technology. Core A provides administrative and financial support for the Center's External Advisory Board, which is responsible for ongoing programmatic evaluation of the Clinical Research Center (Aim A.3). Four distinguished researchers from outside MUSC will be selected to serve as members of our External Advisory Board after the review of the Center is completed.